Taking an environmentally sensitive approach to pest management
REGISTER
Missouri's premier agricultural conference for farmers and agricultural industry professionals. This two-day conference provides timely topics from the state's leading agricultural experts. Registration deadline is November 28, 2025. Please contact Heather Bowden, nicholshn@missouri.edu or 573-882-4303, if you have any questions.
PRICING
Full Conference $225.00
One Day Conference – Wednesday or Thursday $150.00
Farmer Full Conference $125.00
Student Full Conference $75.00
tuesday sessions
Practical Farm Economic Insights and Market Updates for 2026
8 - 8:50 AM crop managementBen Brown
State Extension Specialist, Agricultural Business and Policy
University of Missouri
This forward-looking session dives into the economic forces shaping Missouri agriculture in 2026. This presentation will provide an overview of projected market trends for corn, sobyeans, and wheat. The session will also unpack the latest agricultural policy developments, including federal programs and trade shifts, and explore how macroeconomic factors like inflation, interst rates and energy costs are influencing farm profitability. The session will conclude with a review of updated Missouri crop enterprise budgets, offering practical insights to guide decision-making for the upcoming season. HIDE
Integrating Cutting-Edge Technologies for Crop Monitoring and Management
8:50 - 9:40 AM crop managementMarcelo Barbosa
Post-doctoral Associate
University of Georgia
Technology is rapidly reshaping agricultural practices. Remote sensing has emerged as a timely solution for crop monitoring, while robotics plays a vital role in crop management. Supporting both is artificial intelligence, which enhances data analysis and interpretation. This section will explore the capabilities of these technologies in areas such as plant scouting, stress detection, yield prediction, spraying activities, and weed management. Attendees will gain insights into their practical applications in both experimental research and farm-scale operations. HIDE
Its Not the Size of the Corn, but How it Yields
10:00 - 10:50 AM crop managementMark Licht
Associate Professor
Iowa State University
Short stature corn is not a new concept; however, it is gaining traction. Because of the recent interest in short stature corn, there is interest in how it performs and if management practices need to be adjusted. This session will share some research results that explore the agronomics of short stature hybrids.
Lessons from the Top: Insights from High-yield Soybean Farmers
10:50 - 11:40 AM crop managementMissouri Soybean Farmers
What does it take to consistently achieve top soybean yields? In this panel discussion, some of Missouri's most successful soybean producers share the strategies, technologies, and management decisions that have helped them push the yield frontier. From soil fertility management and variety selection to planting practices, pest control, and in-season decision-making, these farmers will offer practical, experience-based insights that attendees can apply to their own operations. HIDE
How to Adjust Soybean Cultivar-Management Strategies for Different Yield Environments in Missouri
12:30 - 1:20 PM crop managementAndre Reis
Assistant Professor and State Extension Specialist in Soybean Agronomy
University of Missouri
Soybean production in Missouri is influenced by planting date, weather patterns, and location. Each season requires adjusting management decisions to achieve consistent yields. This talk will cover how cultivar maturity group, plant population, and row spacing should be selected based on local conditions and yield potential.
Tools for Monitoring Agricultural Drought in Missouri
1:20 - 2:10 PM crop managementZachary Leasor
Assistant Professor and State Climatologist
University of Missouri
This session will provide a climate summary for the 2025 growing season and an update on drought conditions. The session will also describe helpful tools for monitoring agricultural drought, including new soil moisture datasets, rainfall monitoring, and drought reporting.
Soil Health: What is all the Fuss About?
2:30 - 3:20 PM soil & water managementTim Reinbott
Director, MOAES Communtions and Construction Services
University of Missouri
A hot button issue in agricculture is building up the health of our soils. Soil health is the interaction of soil biology, soil chemical properties (nutrients) and soil physical properties that lead to optimizing crop potential and environmental services such as water infiltration and reduced runoff. The use of reduced tillage, cover crops, organic amendments such as manures and lengthening the rotation have all been cited as ways to improve soil health. But the question remains what is the benefit for the producer and landowner? Are crops more drought resilient? Are increased yield connected to better soil health? Is there a reduction is water and soil runoff? An overview of what soil health is and how it impacts these issues will be presented. HIDE
What else can I say about waterhemp resistance?
3:20 - 4:10 PM pest managementKevin Bradley
Professor and State Extension Weed Scientist
University of Missouri
Throughout my entire career, I have watched waterhemp develop resistance to each and every "next best solution" herbicide that has come onto the market, and the result is that we now have very few viable herbicide options left for the control of this species. No doubt the future of waterhemp management will still involve herbicides, but it's clear we need a new approach. In this presentation, we will discuss what's new with waterhemp resistance and potential solutions.
wednesday sessions
Nutrient Management Strategies to Optimize Crop Yield and Profitability: Pre-Plant vs. In-Season
8:00 - 8:50 AM nutrient managementRasel Parvej
Assistant Professor and Director of Soil Testing Facilities
University of Missouri
This session will compare soil-test-based, pre-plant fertilizer programs with dynamic in-season approaches that respond to crop needs and field variability. It will outline how pre-plant recommendations are developed and adjusted under shifting input costs, commodity markets, and high-yield conditions. Participants will also learn about diagnostic tools such as tissue testing to guide targeted applications of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur. Case studies will illustrate how combining foundational pre-plant practices with selective in-season adjustments can increase nutrient use efficiency, improve yield, and boost profitability. HIDE
Rot, Spots, and Tiny Worms: A Soybean Disease Update
8:50 - 9:40 AM pest managementMandy Bish
Assistant Professor and State Extension Plant Pathologist
University of Missouri
This session will provide an update on red crown rot in Missouri, the latest updates on soybean cyst nematode management, and results from a state-wide foliar disease rating effort in Missouri. We'll focus on what these findings can mean for your management decisions going forward.
Evaluation of Tar Spot Management Strategies on Corn in the Midwest
10:00 - 10:50 AM pest managementMorgan Goodnight
PhD Student, Telenko lab
Purdue University
Tar spot continues to significantly impact corn production across the Midwest, with 20 states confirming the disease's presence as of 2025. Chemical control remains a vital tool for managing tar spot and understanding optimal fungicide timing is essential to maximizing its effectiveness. This presentation will summarize several trials exploring fungicide timing, fungicide programs, and other integrated strategies to improve tar spot disease management. HIDE
What it Takes to Make a Profitable Hay Crop
10:50 - 11:40 AM nutrient managementCarson Roberts
Assistant Professor and State Extension Forage Agronomist
University of Missouri
Making hay isn't always a money-maker—but with the right management, it can be. This session explores the key strategies for turning hay production into a profitable enterprise. Topics include timing your cuts for maximum value, wise fertilizer decisions, reading market signals to determine agronomic action, managing equipment costs, and effective hay marketing.
Using virtual fencing with cover crop grazing to enhance corn and soybean profitability and soil health
12:30 - 1:20 PM ½ crop management ½ soil & water managementRob Myers and Kaitlyn Dozler
Extension Professor and Virtual Fencing Program Manager
University of Missouri
This session will address the opportunities with the new technology of virtual fencing, which started to significantly expand into the U.S. market in 2025. Details on virtual fencing products and pros and cons of the technology will be provided. The session will also address how cover crop grazing is not only made easier by virtual fencing, but also adds to soil health and can be a very profitable approach for corn and soybean producers.
The Old, the New, and the In Between: Insect Pests Across Two Seasons
1:20 - 2:10 PM pest managementIvair Valmorbida
Assistant Professor and State Extension Entomologist
University of Missouri
Updates on old and current insect pest issues in Missouri soybeans and corn.
Examining Cropping Systems from a Comprehensive Agronomic Perspective
2:30 - 3:20 PM ½ crop management ½ soil & water managementLori Abendroth
Research Agronomist
USDA-ARS
We will discuss the benefits and challenges of different rotations used now and possibly in the future for Missouri. Specifically, what are the reasons motivating these systems to be talked about? We will dive into crop, soil, water, and weather perspectives to answer.
Weed Management Update for 2026 and Beyond
3:20 - 4:10 PM pest managementKevin Bradley, Trace Thompson, Jesse Yount, Zach Ury
Professor and State Extension Weed Scientist and Graduate Students
University of Missouri
In this session, Dr. Bradley and other members of the Mizzou Weed Science team will present brief summaries and research results from a variety of new and ongoing weed management projects. New herbicide and weed management issues relevant to 2026 will also be discussed.
REVISED: October 28, 2025